River Runs and Other Rambles

 I have been spending most of my spare time along the St. Clair River, although I did get to Rondeau on March 2.  That was a nice sunny morning and I walked the campground.....carefully.  It was icy!

A good number of birds were at the north end, including a single Yellow-rumped Warbler.  It may be the only one around there from this winter!

I drove some back roads on the way home, but did not see much.  I swung by Stefina Line to look for the wintering Wilson's Snipe.  Often it is not seen, but this time it was out in view!  Lighting bad that time of day though.

This is a known wintering spot ever since I can remember.

The Northern Shrike was nearby, but out of camera range.  I also saw another shrike along Harwich Road.

The last three days, I have checked out the St. Clair River for lack of anywhere else to go.  The river has opened right up with the mild weather, so things are spread out.  Mainly just the usuals.

Fawn Island area:

Yesterday and today, puddle ducks have come in, including American Wigeon, Northern Pintail and Gadwall.  Lots of Ring-billed Gulls too!  Not to mention Killdeer and blackbirds.

wigeons on ice (mallard too!)

Lots of Ring-necked Ducks lately!

Yesterday, I did come across one of the hybrid Redhead X Ring-necked Ducks.  Might be a different one, since the head colour is more red than a previous one I saw.

This morning was not much different, but I did see some pintail, wigeon and even a pair of Northern Shovelers which were new.

American Wigeon pair

This merganser got tangled up with something!

This afternoon was quite balmy, so I took a long walk at Reid CA.  Lots of blackbirds are now in, as well as American Robins.

A couple of scenes:

It is the time of year Sugar Maples are tapped.  While going through old photos the past week or so I came across this one.  It was at Upper Canada Village during a family visit when my uncle lived in Prescott.

Nothing to do with nature, but recently a story about my mother was published.  It is just such a cool story, I had to share here.  Thanks to John Martinello for writing it.  Just click on the link.

https://www.wallaceburgcourierpress.com/opinion/columnists/war-comes-to-sombra-a-story-of-ariel-mann

"Bill", Dunlins, Foxes, Mergs and Snipes

 Things are getting quieter for birdlife (except for waterfowl!).  Making my rounds this week, I found it a bit slim for numbers of birds.

Recently, a Hudsonian Godwit showed up at Keith McLean C. L.  It was distinctive in that it had a deformed bill.  These things readily identify a bird if it travels some distance.  Apparently, this same bird was in Durham region a couple days earlier!  I will name him Busted Bill!

The day I saw "Bill", he was on the distant shoreline of the pond.  Some observers got lucky and it was quite close.

The numbers of Dunlin this fall has been exceptional in some  locales.  Several hundred have been seen at McLean's and other places.

On Monday, I headed down down Hillman and Pelee way.  I was going to go there anyway, but the day before, a Purple Gallinule showed up along the dike at Hillman Marsh.  Unfortunately it was a one-day wonder, despite many birders searching on Monday.

Dunlin (600+) were plentiful here as well.

I checked out Point Pelee National Park.  Nothing of note came my way, and it was somewhat quiet for birds.

After Point Pelee, I once again stopped at Hillman marsh.  Meanwhile, a Black-legged Kittiwake was found by Steve Pike.  I checked later, and possibly saw it in the distance, but sitting on the water.  I was not 100% certain, so did not list it.

I walked around the shorebird cell.  It was a warm day, and some butterflies were out.

Eastern Comma

shy Orange Sulphur

Tuesday, I stayed fairly local.  At McKeough CA, there were lots of Pine Siskins among other things.  A lingering Eastern Phoebe was working a wet area.

Wednesday, a lakewatch was in order at dog beach in Rondeau Park.  It looked promising, but nothing substantial showed up.  A Red-necked Grebe was the highlight.

Red-breasted Mergansers are in exceptional numbers right now around Rondeau.  Steve reported over 55,000 the day before.  Likely the number persisted on my visit, but difficult to count.  Most were at the north end.

This species is usually in pure flocks, but some other ducks get mixed in.  In the past at Point Pelee, I have seen King Eider (twice) with them!

Passerines were few and far between.  I found a group of sparrows in the campground.  I saw at least 15 Fox Sparrows, but I know there were some more.  They were nice to see, since Fox is my favourite sparrow.

The next cold front should be better, especially in the campground.  Perhaps a rare warbler will pop out!

Today, I went to Mitchell's Bay and St. Clair NWA.  I  was waiting for a wind-less day with clear skies, and this was it!

There was nothing noteworthy along the south shore trail, but I had to try!

Winter Wren

Cooper's Hawk

I next moved on to St. Clair NWA.  It was littered with waterfowl, with 2000+ Tundra Swans, and a few thousand Canada Geese.  Lots of ducks, but lighting was too harsh to get on a lot of things.

A Marsh Wrens are still lingering, and lots of Swamp Sparrows.

I suppose the highlight was a flyover Common Redpoll!  First I have heard of in this area this fall.  Hopefully some will show up this winter.

One last walk this morning was at Peers Wetland.  Very quiet, as it always is once cold weather sets in.  Notable were the two Wilson's Snipe on the mudflat at the south end.

Too bad this mud was not showing during peak shorebird migration.

With climate change, weather has been quite warm lately.  This Midland Painted Turtle was taking advantage of the sun this morning at Peers.

Some Recent Arrivals/Sightings

 It has been rather wintry the last few days, but spring arrivals are trickling in.

A few days ago, a couple of early Blue-winged Teal were at Roberta Stewart Wetland.  Earliest spring migrants I have seen.  Unfortunately, just as I was settling in, a Bald Eagle came in and flushed everything!

Down at Erieau, I finally went to see the Lesser Yellowlegs that came in a few weeks ago in February.  It likely wintered not too far away since it was so early.

Nearby, the Whooper Swan was having fun in a small pond.  Certainly an impressive-looking swan, but any seen in Ontario are escapees.

Horned Grebes have been arriving in the last week.

Yesterday was blustery and cold, but I went down Rondeau way anyway.  Lots of open water had frozen due to the cold.  Any shorebird types were indeed not happy!

Things were quite frozen at Keith McLean C. L.  

This early-arrival Wilson's Snipe was wondering what it was doing here, huddled out of the wind.

Nearby, a Killdeer was complaining about the ice.

Today started out cold, and everything was frozen, but it was a cloudless sunny day.  I did not find anything of note.  Seems the Wilkesport Long-eared Owl has finally left for the north, as I could not find it in its favourite tree.

A pleasant walk at Reid CA in the afternoon took advantage of the nice weather.

Since this blog has had little subject matter in recent weeks, I have another history note for the boatnerds.

March 12, 1907 was the launch date of the D. O. Mills lake freighter.  Later renamed G. A. Tomlinson, it lasted until 1979 when it was scrapped.

Back when I was very young, I took a photo of this vessel on the Detroit River while on one of the Bob-Lo steamers.

On the return trip from Bob-Lo Island, it was docked somewhere close to Windsor!